Proposed Cut Could Devastate ASU

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Alabama News Network

After a lot of deliberation, the senate passed its version of the education budget this week.

Inside it, a $10 million cut for ASU, while no other public universities in the state saw dramatic cuts.

But how much of the budget does $10 million cover?

"Well to be very blunt about it, it would be very devastating. I mean a 10 million dollar cut out of a total appropriation of 42 million dollars, that's 25 percent of our appropriation. Clearly, Alabama State University could not survive and do the things we're doing now with that kind of cut," said Freddie Gallot, ASU Business and Finance Vice President

Gallot says that this would hurt more than just the staff. This would hurt the students as well.

"It would have an impact on academic programs, clearly we'd have to take a look at some of the programs we are now offering to our students. The quality of the programs would be affected because we could not provide the support that we would need for those kind of programs. Especially those specialized type of programs we offer here, the technical kind of programs we have here."

The budget now goes to the house, where ASU executive vice president and State Representative John Knight says he won't stand for this kind of treatment. He did not expect the cut to make it through the senate.

"I am surprised because I've been in the legislature a long time. I've never seen that type of interference on behalf of anybody on the legislature with an institution of higher learning before," said Knight.